West Virginia's first Capital city was located in Wheeling, Ohio County. It was later moved to Charleston, then back to Wheeling, and then back to Charleston.

Washington Hall, located in Wheeling, is known as the "Birthplace of West Virginia."

The first capitol building is known as the Linsley Institute Building, built in 1858 and served as West Virginia's capitol for seven years.

The first Charleston Capitol, built in 1869-1870, was located at Capitol and Lee Streets. Charleston remained the Capitol City until 1875 when the Legislature decided to return to Wheeling.

In the fall of 1877, as a result of a statewide election, Governor Jacob issued a proclamation declaring Charleston the permanent seat of government.

On January 3, 1921, and four buildings later, West Virginia's Capitol burned to the ground. A temporary office building, known as the "Pasteboard Capitol," and other Charleston buildings served as temporary offices for state government.

Cass Gilbert was selected as the architect to design the capitol building. Gilbert, whose offices were located in New York, designed other notable buildings such as the capitol buildings of Minnesota and Arkansas, as well as the United States Treasury Annex and the United States Chamber of Commerce Building.

On June 20, 1932, eleven years after the destruction of the downtown capitol building, West Virginia's permanent capitol building was dedicated.

The total cost for construction of our capitol building was nearly $10 million in 1932.

The dome on the capitol is 292 feet high, higher than the dome on the Nation's Capitol building in Washington, D.C